Letter carriers in Norwalk and Wilton are delivering grocery bags to postal customers this week in advance of the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive on Saturday, May 12. “Stamp Out Hunger” is the largest food drive for Person-to-Person each year.
With 9% percent of Fairfield County households living below the poverty level and another 23% struggling to afford the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, hunger and food insecurity is an issue for many of our neighbors. The number of people living in poverty plus those who earn less than the basic cost-of-living is significant in the communities served by the P2P Food Pantry in Norwalk – 11% of Weston households, 12% of Wilton households, 16% of Westport households and 36% of Norwalk households [Source: United Way ALICE Project].
During the summer months, Food Pantry demand increases because many families are providing three meals a day to children who qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year.
In preparation for the food drive, various volunteer groups have been stapling the suggested shopping list of non-perishable foods to 24,500 grocery bags for Norwalk and 6,000 grocery bags for Wilton. Whether you receive a grocery bag or not, residents are encouraged to leave a bag of shelf-stable items at your mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 12 or drop it off at the local Post Office in Norwalk or Wilton.